Court of Fives
A teenage girl secretly competes in her city's prestigious athletic competitions in this high-fantasy adventure that can be pitched as Game of Thrones meets The Hunger Games meets Little Women.
In this imaginative escape into an enthralling new world, World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott's first young adult novel weaves an epic story of a girl struggling to do what she loves in a society suffocated by rules of class and privilege.
Jessamy's life is a balance between acting like an upper class Patron and dreaming of the freedom of the Commoners. But at night she can be whoever she wants when she sneaks out to train for The Fives, an intricate, multi-level athletic competition that offers a chance for glory to the kingdom's best competitors. Then Jes meets Kalliarkos, and an unlikely friendship between a girl of mixed race and a Patron boy causes heads to turn. When a scheming lord tears Jes's family apart, she'll have to test Kal's loyalty and risk the vengeance of a powerful clan to save her mother and sisters from certain death.
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Kate Elliott
Few fantasy authors conjure worlds as vast, as lived-in, or as emotionally resonant as Kate Elliott. Her stories don't just transport readers—they immerse them, body and soul, into realms shaped by history, culture, and the complexities of power. With a career spanning decades and genres, Elliott has carved a unique space in speculative fiction by weaving epic narratives that are as intellectually rich as they are emotionally gripping.
What sets her apart is not only her sweeping world-building, but the way she grounds it in human experience. Whether she’s charting dynastic struggles in the Crown of Stars series, redefining epic fantasy with the Spiritwalker Trilogy, or exploring the intersections of gender, colonialism, and resistance in Unconquerable Sun, Elliott brings a rare depth to every page. Her characters—especially her fiercely determined women—push against the boundaries of their worlds with strength, vulnerability, and defiance.
Court of Fives
Court of Fives consists of three primary books, and includes one additional book that complement the series but is not considered mandatory reads. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
